Lagos
Located in Southern Portugal, in the region of Algarve, the Bay of Lagos extends 11.5 km and is the largest bay in Portugal. It stretches from Ponta da Piedade, a rocky promontory that dominates the bay, to Ponta João de Arens, a smaller rocky area. It includes 7 km of sandy beaches (Meia Praia, Praia do Alvor, and Praia dos Três Irmãos) and two water courses, the Bensafrim or Lagos stream and Odiáxere and Alvor stream. The depth gradually descends to 40 m over a distance of 2.5 km, except in the area of Ponta da Piedade where the depth increases very quickly to 30 m in less than 1 km. The uniformity of the seafloor combined with the gentle slope of descent and the lack of major obstacles results in a susceptibility to wind and swell from the South, South-west and East quadrants. These conditions create excellent conditions for such sports as surfing, windsurfing, and kite surfing but are known to jeopardize ships anchored too close to Ponta da Piedade or in shallower waters.
Due to its coastal morphology and strategic location, Lagos was the best available anchorage for ships from the Mediterranean as they ventured into the Atlantic (Barbosa, 1993: 24). For this reason, Lagos was the preeminent maritime centre of the Algarve from the 15th to the 18th century, if not earlier.
The human occupation of Lagos has pre-historic origins (Morán, 2006). However, the development of Lagos as a city is not clear. Its optimal anchorage conditions combined with archaeological findings in Bensafrim stream give credence to the development of a pre-Roman maritime city Arial. There is no doubt that during the Roman period, Lagos was one of the main ports of antiquity in southern Portugal (Formosinho, 1992: 29). During the Islamic-medieval period Lagos was one of the fortified towns that protected the Muslim capital of Silves (Coutinho, 2001: 13). During the Christian-medieval period it was part of the Portuguese coastal defence line and an important port of call of the international trade routes that linked the Mediterranean to the major market centres in North Africa (Loureiro, 2008: 20-21).
The proximity of these routes and the never-ending tensions between Christians and Muslims set the stage for Portuguese privateering ventures based in the city of Lagos (Barbosa, 1993). Lagos, with both a merchant and military maritime experience, was chosen as a port for the Portuguese military expeditions to North Africa in the 15th century (Barbosa, 1993: 13-25). The wide range of expertise among Lagos’ mariners was undoubtedly a factor in the choosing of Lagos as the maritime base for the famed voyages of Discovery, by the Infante D. Henrique, (Coelho, 1992: 12-13). The first trade houses, responsible for the riches of Arguim and Mina in North Africa, were headquartered in Lagos (Coelho, 1992).
Loureiro (2008: 69) states:
In 1460, the year of the death of Infante D. Henrique, Lagos was the leading port trading with the West African coastline south of Cape Bojador, basing its economic growth and urban development in market relations with the African continent.
Easy access to freshwater, good beaching zones and wide, deep anchorages, attracted mariners to Lagos as a preferred port for resupplying or repairing vessels , establishing the city’s role as one of the main ports of the Algarve. However, the coastal morphology required special care since easy landings also meant frailty in defence. That was reiterated to the Crown on many occasions, leading to an increased concern regarding the bay’s defensibility (Iria, 1976: 6). In a letter from the Governor of the Kingdom of Algarve to the King d. José notes,
This place is the key of the Kingdom because it is situated on the coast, and has a Bay with enough anchorage for more than 200 ships of war. Its beach is so large that a large army could land in a few hours' (Paula, 1992: 38).
During the 18th century, Lagos began to decline as the Algarve’s principal maritime city due to the destructive earthquake of 1755. In addition to completely razing the city of Lagos, the earthquake also silted the port to the point of restricting access (Costa et al., 2005). In the 19th century, however, Lagos continued as a maritime city with an important fishing community (Paula, 1992: 74). Due to a general decline in fisheries, this industry also diminished in Lagos during the last quarter of the 20th century. Currently, reduced fishing activities continue to exist in Lagos, however the maritime industry is primarily devoted to recreational tourism.
Due to its coastal morphology and strategic location, Lagos was the best available anchorage for ships from the Mediterranean as they ventured into the Atlantic (Barbosa, 1993: 24). For this reason, Lagos was the preeminent maritime centre of the Algarve from the 15th to the 18th century, if not earlier.
The human occupation of Lagos has pre-historic origins (Morán, 2006). However, the development of Lagos as a city is not clear. Its optimal anchorage conditions combined with archaeological findings in Bensafrim stream give credence to the development of a pre-Roman maritime city Arial. There is no doubt that during the Roman period, Lagos was one of the main ports of antiquity in southern Portugal (Formosinho, 1992: 29). During the Islamic-medieval period Lagos was one of the fortified towns that protected the Muslim capital of Silves (Coutinho, 2001: 13). During the Christian-medieval period it was part of the Portuguese coastal defence line and an important port of call of the international trade routes that linked the Mediterranean to the major market centres in North Africa (Loureiro, 2008: 20-21).
The proximity of these routes and the never-ending tensions between Christians and Muslims set the stage for Portuguese privateering ventures based in the city of Lagos (Barbosa, 1993). Lagos, with both a merchant and military maritime experience, was chosen as a port for the Portuguese military expeditions to North Africa in the 15th century (Barbosa, 1993: 13-25). The wide range of expertise among Lagos’ mariners was undoubtedly a factor in the choosing of Lagos as the maritime base for the famed voyages of Discovery, by the Infante D. Henrique, (Coelho, 1992: 12-13). The first trade houses, responsible for the riches of Arguim and Mina in North Africa, were headquartered in Lagos (Coelho, 1992).
Loureiro (2008: 69) states:
In 1460, the year of the death of Infante D. Henrique, Lagos was the leading port trading with the West African coastline south of Cape Bojador, basing its economic growth and urban development in market relations with the African continent.
Easy access to freshwater, good beaching zones and wide, deep anchorages, attracted mariners to Lagos as a preferred port for resupplying or repairing vessels , establishing the city’s role as one of the main ports of the Algarve. However, the coastal morphology required special care since easy landings also meant frailty in defence. That was reiterated to the Crown on many occasions, leading to an increased concern regarding the bay’s defensibility (Iria, 1976: 6). In a letter from the Governor of the Kingdom of Algarve to the King d. José notes,
This place is the key of the Kingdom because it is situated on the coast, and has a Bay with enough anchorage for more than 200 ships of war. Its beach is so large that a large army could land in a few hours' (Paula, 1992: 38).
During the 18th century, Lagos began to decline as the Algarve’s principal maritime city due to the destructive earthquake of 1755. In addition to completely razing the city of Lagos, the earthquake also silted the port to the point of restricting access (Costa et al., 2005). In the 19th century, however, Lagos continued as a maritime city with an important fishing community (Paula, 1992: 74). Due to a general decline in fisheries, this industry also diminished in Lagos during the last quarter of the 20th century. Currently, reduced fishing activities continue to exist in Lagos, however the maritime industry is primarily devoted to recreational tourism.
References
- Barbosa, Pedro Gomes. "O Porto De Lagos No Final Da Idade Média: Algumas Reflexões." Cadernos Históricos IV (1993): 15-26.
- Coelho, António Borges. "Introdução." In Lagos, edited by Rui M. Paula. 12-15. Lagos: Câmara Municipal de Lagos, 1992.
- Costa, Alexandre, César Andrade, Clara Seabra, Luis Matias, Maria Ana Baptista, and Sara Nunes. 1755 - Terramoto No Algarve. 1 ed. Faro: Centro de Ciência Viva do Algarve, 2005.
- Coutinho, V. Dinâmica Defensiva Da Costa Do Algarve Do Período Islâmico Ao Século Xviii. Portimão: Instituto de Cultura Ibero-Atlântica, 2001.
- Formosinho, J. "A Lenda Da Sua Fundação No Paul." In Lagos, Evolução Urbana E Património, edited by R. M. Paula. Lagos: Câmara Munícipal, 1992.
- Iria, Alberto. Da Importância Geo-Política Do Algarve Na Defesa Marítima De Portugal Nos Séculos Xv a Xviii. Lisboa: Academia Portuguesa de História, 1976
- Loureiro, Rui Manuel. Lagos E Os Descobrimentos Até 1540. 2 ed. Lagos: Câmara Municipal de Lagos, 2008.
- Morán, Elena. "Arqueologia Urbana No Centro Histórico De Lagos: Estratégia De Intervenção E Balanço Dos Resultados Obtidos." Xelb, no. 6 (2006): 103-10.
- Paula, Rui M. Lagos, Evolução Urbana E Património. 1 ed. Lagos: Câmara Municipal de Lagos, 1992.